backward

back|ward1 [ `bækwərd ] adjective *

1. ) only before noun moving or looking in the direction that is behind you:

a backward glance

2. ) not developing quickly, normally, and successfully:

a remote and backward region

a ) OLD-FASHIONED an offensive word for someone who is unable to make normal progress in learning. It is more polite to say that someone has learning disabilities.

a backward step or a step backward

an action that does not bring progress, but makes the situation as bad as it was in the past:

By cutting expenditure on health care, I feel we are taking a backward step to the bad old days.

╾ back|ward|ness noun uncount

backward

back|ward 2 [ `bækwərd ] adverb **

1. ) in the direction that is behind you:

He was thrown backward by the force of the explosion.

I glanced backward over my shoulder to see if anyone was following me.

a car rolling backward down a hill

2. ) in the opposite way or order from usual:

Count backward from ten to one.

Let's work backward through all the steps in the process so we can see where we went wrong.

a ) with the back part in front:

Your shirt is on backward.

3. ) toward a time in the past:

It's only by looking backward that we can understand how these rivalries developed.

a ) not progressing but changing back to a FORMER worse state:

With these new, weaker pollution controls, the Administration seems to be moving backward.

backward and forward or backwards and forwards

moving first in one direction and then in the opposite direction, and doing this again and again:

Charles began to pace backward and forward, up and down the room.

know something backward and forward

to know something very well

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